1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to pump testing equipment and procedures. In particular, the present invention relates to a mobile pump testing apparatus that can be used to test water pump performance on fire fighting equipment and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Fire fighting equipment, such as fire trucks, are typically equipped with one or more onboard pumps capable of drawing water from a water source and pumping the water under high pressure through fire hoses for spraying onto fires. The water source for the pumps can be a pond, river, swimming pool, fire hydrant, or other available water supplies that can be drawn into the pump at a high flow rate (e.g., 500 to 2,500 gpm).
Standardized testing procedures have been developed for testing pumps used with fire fighting equipment to determine whether the pumps perform at their rated capacities. For example, the National Fire Protection Association has developed a recommended standard pump testing procedure, referred to as NFPA 1911 (2007 ed.), for testing water pumps associated with fire fighting equipment. The testing procedure requires a pump to be tested at various flow rates for predetermined lengths of time, which results in vast quantities of water to be pumped through the equipment. Fire hydrants alone are generally not capable of supplying fresh water at the high flow rates necessary for the length of time necessary to conduct the pumping tests.
Various methods have been employed in the past to supply water for the pump tests. For example, a pump test can be performed near a swimming pool so that water can be drawn out of the pool by the pump and then discharged back into the pool as the test is run. The use of a swimming pool to conduct the pump test can reduce water waste. However, swimming pools are often not available for use by a fire department or have water temperatures that exceed the maximum water temperature allowed by standard pump testing procedures.
Pump tests are also sometimes performed near a source of surface water, such as a pond, lake, or river, so that water can be drawn out of the water source at a first location and then discharged back into the water source at another location (e.g., downstream) as the test is run. Although this method can reduce water waste, it has other problems. For example, available surface water typically contains a high amount of sediment, algae, and other contaminants that result in frequent screen plugging and can deteriorate pump performance over time. The availability and temperature of surface water near a location where a test is to be conducted can also be problematic.
Large tanks have also been used to conduct pump testing procedures. The suction hose(s) for the pump being tested can be inserted into the tank to draw water to the pump, and the discharge line(s) from the pump can be arranged to discharge back into the tank. This technique allows the test water to be circulated during the pump testing procedures. However, the circulating water in the tank between the suction hose(s) and the discharge line(s) often cavitates and/or warms to a temperature exceeding the maximum allowed water temperature, thereby reducing the reliability of the test results.
There is a need for an improved apparatus and method for testing pumps associated with fire fighting equipment to overcome the problems with the prior art described above.